Apparatus for guiding and conveying hogs to slaughter



March 1963 H. E. WISTREICH ETAL 3,

APPARATUS FOR GUIDING AND CONVEYING HOGS T0 SLAUGHTER Filed May 3, 19602 Sheets-Sheet 1 In N N v INVENTORS Huao E, WISTREICH v y FRED A. D:PASQUALE March. 12, 1963 H. E. WISTREICH ETAL 3,030,604

APPARATUS FOR GUIDING AND CONVEYING HOGS T0 SLAUGHTER Filed May 3, 19602 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Hucqo E. hgsrnelcu rates This inventionrelates to hog conveyors. Particularly, it relates to apparatus forconveying hogs between a hog pen and a stunning section whereby the hogsare brought up tothe stunning section in single file.

Much efficiency is lost in the conventional slaughter of hogs by reasonof the lack of uniform introduction of the hogs into the stunningsection of a hog slaughtering production line. Generally, in aconventional hog slaughtering line the animals are stunned with anelectrical cur rent after which they are slaughtered. Thereafter, thecarcasses are skinned, and conveyed away for production of meatproducts. i The animals that enter into the stunning section of aconventional slaughtering line are exceedingly unruly and greatconfusion reigns in the stunning arena. Efiiciency in butchering,therefore, is minimized in proportion to the difficulty of handling theanimals immediately prior to stunning.

In accordance with the instant invention, and as an object thereof,there is provided, a device which has a unique conveyor construction forintroducing the hogs to be butchered in single file into the stunningarena. I It is a further object of this invention to provide, togetherwith a conveyor, an apparatus which will guide hogs one at a time fromhog pen to a stunning arena whereby the hogs may be stunned one at atime as they exit from the apparatus.

It is a further object of theinvention to provide an elongated guide forconveying hogs in single file from a pen to'a stunning arena in whichthe apparatus is adapted to preclude turning of the hogs once they haveentered thereinto. Other and further objects of the invention willbecome apparent from the followingdescription and appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and numerals ofreference thereon.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus embodying one form of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hog guide comprising said apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a view thereof from the entrance end,

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on a vertical planeindicated by line 55 of FIG. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the invention ischaracterized by an apparatus for guiding hogs generally designated as10. The guide 16 is disposed between a hog pen (not shown), and astunning arena or section 22. The guide 16 defines a confined path alongwhich hogs are carried single file between the pen and the stunningsection.

The guide it} is disposed above a driven conveyor 11 which may be ofroller (as illustrated), belt, or equivalent construction, to insuremovement of the hogs between the pen and the stunning area or section 22having horizontally spaced upwardly extending side walls. There isshown, in FIG. 1, a prime mover 23 and force transmission means 24 fordriving conveyor 11.

An entrance section 12 comprising a pair of inwardly converging guideplates 14 provides means for sorting the hogs to single file as they aredriven from the pens (not shown) to entrance 13 of guide It By reason ofthe Bfiddfidd Patented Mar. 12, 1953 spacing of walls 14 only one hog ata time can enter the guide 10. The entrance section 12 preferably isprovided with a roughened floor 25 to provide a steady footing for thehogs. The floor 25, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, isalso sloped upwardly toward entrance 13 for apparent reasons and iscarried on a pinrality of supports 26.

The apparatus it is elongated and it has been found that approximately a16 foot length is optimal under the conditions experienced in normal hogslaughtering. Throughout its length the apparatus 10 is preferablyuniform in cross section. Viewed in cross section, the a)- paratus 10 isone of a Y-like configuration. Particularly, in the embodimentillustrated, the apparatus comprises a pair of spaced apart plates 16,distinguished from each other by the letters a and b appended to thenumeral 16.

The plates 16a and 16b are secured in position by means of braces orsupports 17 which are suitably secured to the outside walls of the guide10 and supported in frame 15, which is illustrated in FIG. 5. Saidplates are suitably secured to the top of apparatus 10 by means offlanged upper rails or rim flanges 27, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The plates 16 each have a lowermost vertically extending wall 18,intermediate wall portions 19 which extend upwardly and outwardly fromthe lowermost portion 18 and an uppermost portion 20 which is bentinwardly from the ends of the intermediate portions 19 which, however,diverge slightly from the vertical, as illustrated in the drawings.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lowermost or verticalwall portions 18 of the plates 16a and 16b are disposed parallel to eachother, being separated approximately 7 /4 inches. The height of thevertical wall portion 18 is about 8 inches. At the widest point of thespace between the intermediate wall portions 19, that is, the narrowestspace between the uppermost wall portions, the distance is preferablyapproximately 22 /4 inches. The distance from the bottom of theintermediate wallpor tion to the top thereof, when viewed in crosssection, is approximately 12 inches and the distance from the bottom ofthe uppermost -wall:portion 19 to the top thereof, when viewed in crosssection, is approximately 28 inches, the overall height of apparatus 10being approximately 4 feet above the conveyor 11.

If desired, and as illustrated herein, the apparatus 10 is slopedupwardly from the entrance position to the exit 21. In this case, ofcourse, the conveyor 11 which forms a door for the guide 1d is slopedupwardly from entrance 13 to exit 21. To such end frame 15 is mounted onor carried by legs or supports 28, successive of which toward exit 21are longer than the prior ones.

Small hogs which are to be butchered will fit wholly within the spacebetween the lowermost vertical wall portions 18 whereby they areprecluded from turning about once driven into the guide 10. The legs Oflarger hogs will be accommodated between the vertical wall portions 18while their bellies will be accommodated along the sloping faces of theintermediate wall portions 19. Inasmuch as the preferred distancebetween the vertical wall portions 18 is only 7% inches, it isimpossible for the larger hogs to turn about once they have entered theapparatus. Should they attempt to lift their legs from between thelowermost wall portion 18, the contour of the apparatus will cause theirlegs to slip down and hold the hogs in an upright position facing in adirection in which they entered the guide 1 The overall height of thedevice is such that the hogs are unable to get their legs over the topof the device. In this regard, it will be apparent that the apparatus 10preferably has smooth, solid, fiat interior surfaces to 13 through exit'21 and into and through the stunning;

section 22; It will be appreciated that in the preferred form of theinvention herein illustrated, the transverse dimension of the stunningsection is wider than the spacing between the portions 18 and19 of theapparatus 18.

A conveyor guide comprising a pair of upper track- Ways 29 and 3t and apair of lower trackways 29 and 3 are suitably secured at opposite sidesof the conveyor on the sides of which there are suitably mountedapiurality of wheels 31 which ride inthe. trackways t carry the?conveyor .11 in endless circuit.

By thus conveying the hogsinthe apparatus described herein, they areconveyed single file out of the exitZl of the apparatus where'they canhe stunned and immediately butchered in a conventional fashion. Becausethe hogs are fed endto-end into the stunning arena, efiiciency in thestunning and slaughtering phase of pro! duction isinsured and theslaughtering can progress at anniform rate.

After the hogs are attended in the stunning arena22 they. leave the.stunning arena by means sofa conveyor 32, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.Tofacilitate the proper attendance of the animals ,inthe variousportions of the mechanisms herein described, thereis provided a walkway3.3 which is suitahlyasupnorted, as illusjrated in FIGS. 1 and .5, topermit an operator or. attendant access to the animals from above .them.

While the foregoingspecifioation sets forth theinyention inspecificterms, it is to be understood that numerous, changes maybe resorted towithout departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention asclaimedhereinafter and it is contemplated that various, changes, may bemade inthe embodiment of the invention herein specifically described withoutdeparting from or sacrificing I ny of. h -a v nt g s f he nven i o anyea; tu es, th e and. not-l gv here nssha lh cons r d s imitations upon.the in ntion,v s con ept gra ructu a embodiment; as; o the; wh le,01113113" part the e f; ex p :as; defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A conveyor apparatus adapted for use in introduc-v ing hogs from ahog pen into a stunning arena in single file comprising frame means,including an upright and longitudinal portions, a floor for saidapparatus ccmprising a driven endless conveyor mounted in said1ongitudinal' portions. of said frame;. anelongated pair of spacedangularly bent walls secured to 'the upright portions of said frame, anddisposed inwardly thereof; and an entrance section disposed at one endof said conveyor and having a pair of wal ls diverging toward saidangularly bent walls and. narrowing to the width of a single hog, saidWalls providing a. confined path on said conveyor whereby hogs arecarried ,singlefile; to the stunning arena.

2. A-conveyor apparatusvadapteds'for. usein slaughter,- ing hogscomprising an, elongated'frame;apair. of'upwardly: and outwardlyconverging :ofiset retaining walls connected on opposite sides ofsaidframe,. the. upper portions of said side wa llsv being spacedaparta; greater distance than the lower partsthereof and forming ,a guideadapted to restrict-movement ofhogs in single tile on saidconveyor; adriven endlessconveyor; meansfor rollably mountingsaid conveyorontheo-ppositeend pore tions of said frame including track rails on saidframe and a plurality of wheels rotatablyconnected to'said conveyonanadit connected at the exitend of-"saidconveyor; and -aslaughteringsection havingtspaced' apart retaining side Walls ;and connected to theexit end: portion of saidframe,---said offset retaining walls extendingfrom said adit to said slaughtering section, said conveyor, when driven,beingadapted' to move-hogs in Single'file toward saidslaughteringsect-ion.

3. A conveyor apparatus as defined in claim =2 further characterized byhaving a plurality of horizontally spaced supports secured to theexterior 'faces-of said ofiset retaining walls and secured at theirlower ends to said frame to thereby bracesaid *walls;

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENT

1. A CONVEYOR APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR USE IN INTRODUCING HOGS FROM A HOGPEN INTO A STUNNING ARENA IN SINGLE FILE COMPRISING FRAME MEANS,INCLUDING AN UPRIGHT AND LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS, A FLOOR FOR SAIDAPPARATUS COMPRISING A DRIVEN ENDLESS CONVEYOR MOUNTED IN SAIDLONGITUDINAL PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME; AN ELONGATED PAIR OF SPACEDANGULARLY BENT WALLS SECURED TO THE UPRIGHT PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME ANDDISPOSED INWARDLY THEREOF; AND AN ENTRANCE SECTION DISPOSED AT ONE ENDOF SAID CONVEYOR AND HAVING A PAIR OF WALLS DIVERGING TOWARD SAIDANGULARLY BENT WALLS AND NARROWING TO THE WIDTH OF A SINGLE HOG, SAIDWALLS PROVIDING A CONFINED PATH ON SAID CONVEYOR WHEREBY HOGS ARECARRIED SINGLE FILE TO THE STUNNING ARENA.